Turbine



Feb. 23 ,1926.

' 1,574,228 J. D. ATWOOD TURBINE Filed Oct. 7-, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet @Houmu Feb. 23 1926.

J. D. ATWOOD TURBINE Filed Oct. '2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Z' Patented Feb. 23, 1926. i

it UNITED STATES JOHN niAz ATWOOD, or MARION, iLLIiioIs.

-1,574,2zs FICEY.

Paar 9 TURBINE.

' 1 Application filed Octobcr '7, 1925. Serial No. 61,091.

r This inventionrelates to a steam propelled vehicle and has for its prime object to pro vide hi hly novel propelling mechanism which may be compactly and conveniently arranged on the chassis of the vehicle.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide an improved turbine which is simple in its construction, efficient and reliable in itsoperation, strong, durable, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

Another very important object of theinvention is to provide in a vehicle a drive shaft having a pair of turbines oppositely associated therewithffor driving the shaft in opposite directions and the provision of conveniently operated control means.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vehicle embodying the features of my invention,

Fig. 2is a vertical section through one of the turbines, I

Fi'g. 3 is a section through said turbine taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 1 is a plan view looking at the edge .of one of the rotors,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail elevation of one of the rotors, and

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken through one end of the steam manifold and the valves therein.

Referring to the drawing, in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5 designates the chassis of the vehicle which is mounted in any suitable manner on the wheels 6 and 7, the latter of which are driven through the mechanism 8 operable by the drive shaft 9. A fuel tank 10 is located on the rear end of the chassis, a water tank 11 is disposed between the ends of the chassis, a boiler 12 is disposed adjacent the front end of the chassis, and a condenser 13 is disposed at the front end of the chassis.

The fuel tank 10 is connected with the burners 1 1 of the. boiler 12 by pipes 14- The water tank 11 communicates with the boiler 12 through thepipes 15. I A pair of turbines 1'7 and 18 are mounted in any suitable manner in the chassis 5 between the tank 11 and-the boiler 12. The turbine 17 is constructed to propel the vehicle forwardly while the turbine: 18 is designed to propel the vehicle r'earwardly. From a structural standpoint, and principles of operation, the turbines are practically identical and a detailed description of one will sufiice for both. illustrated to advantage in Figs. 2 to 5 in clusive. j

Referringin detail to the turbine 17, it will be seen that the same includes among other elements to be mentioned later, a casing 19 having a circular outer wall, a fixed side wall 20 and a removable side wall 21. Thedrive shaft 9 is journaled centrally through the wa1ls20 and 21. This casing 19, of course, is stationarily' mounted. in relation to the chassis 5. The outer wall of the casing is provided with a plurality of outlets indicated at 23 fromwhich extend pipe sections 2 L leading alternately through The turbine structure is walls QO-and 21 adjacent the outer-iwall.

The exhaust pipe is shown at 26 and the in take pipe is shown at 27. This intake pipe 27 leads through the wall 20 tangentially to the axis of the casing. The rotor 28 is of circular construction and is keyed to the The outer periphery or shaft 9 as at 29..

edge of the rotor 28 is provided with a plurality of V-shaped pockets 3O formed by. a plurality of spaced V-shaped fins 81. A

plurality of radially disposed pockets 32 are formed on the sides of the rotor adjacent the edge thereof, two of said pockets 32 being disposed in registry and in communication with each pocket 30.

The steam passing inwardly of the casing clock-wise direction said steam will partially expand and pass through the first outlet 23 fold 36; The pipe 27 from the other turbine 17 leads from the valve 37 at the other end of the manifold 26. The manifold 26 is connected to the boiler by thev pipes 38. The exhaust pipes 26 merge into a commonpipe I 39 which leads tothe condenser13.

The valves 35 and 37 are identical in constru'ction and afull understanding of these valves may be had from an inspection of Fig. 6. I shall describe valve 35 in detail only" since the othervalve is identically constructed.

Referring to this valve 35, as illustrated in Fig. 6, it Will be seen that40 represents a cylinder closed at one end as at 41, while the other end is provided with an outwardly disposed flange 42 having its annular edge threaded for threadedly engaging the threaded opening 43 provided in the manifold 36. The cylinder 40 is provided with an opening 44 and a pipe 45 extends through the cylinder 40 at a point diametrically opposed'to' the opening 44 and leads upwardly through the flange 42 and merges or is coupled in any suitable manner to the pipe 37. A- plunger 46 is slidable in the cylinder 40 and has a transverse opening 47 so that by pressing the plunger'downwardly, this opening 47 may be brought into registry with the opening 44 and the open end of the pipe 49. A suitable stufling box 48 is provided on the open end of the cylinder 40 and a packing nut 49 is associated therewith. A pin 50 extends transversely through the plunger 46 and a spring 51 impinges against said pin 50 and against the flange 42 for normally holding the plunger in its raised position.

The outer ends of the plungers 46 are located within easy access of the feet of the driver of the vehicle. By using the right foot, for instance, on the right hand plunger,

The steam which remains in.

the other valve the steam may be fed to the forward turbine 17 for driving the vehicle forwardly.

The arrangement of the elements on the chassis affords a very well balanced vehicle and allows the easy access to be had to the various parts when desired. The present embodiment of the invention, however, has been disclosed merely by way of example, since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and in the above description. Numerous changes in the details of description and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A turbine-of the class described includinga casing, a rotor in the casing, said rotor provided with peripheral fins and side surface fins for forming peripheral pockets and pocketsin the side surfaces communicating with the peripheral pockets, means for impinging steain against the side pockets, outlets extending from the periphery of the casing, and pipes leading from said outlets alternatelyto the two sides of the casing for allowing expanding steam to impinge the side pockets.

2. A stealn turbine including a circular casing having an annular wall and-a pair of disk side walls, outlets provided on the annular wall, said side walls provided with openings adjacent the annular wall, pipes leading alternately from the outlets to the openings in the side walls, means forztaking off steam from one of the outlets, and a rotor in the casing.

A steam turbine including a circular casing having an annular wall and a pair of disk side walls, outlets'provided on the 'annular wall, said side walls provided with openings adjacent the-annular wall, pipes leading alternately from the outlets to the openings in the side walls means for taking 05 steam f'rom'one of the outlets and a rotor on the casing, said rotor-being in the form of a disk having pockets formed on its side surfaces adjacent its periphery and pockets formed on its periphery communicating with the other pockets.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN DIAZ ATWOOD. 

